SMU Offers John Tyler Defender Dekalen Goodson

Dekalen Goodson has his fifth NCAA Division I FBS scholarship opportunity, and he has all the bases covered if he wants to stay close to Tyler after graduation.

SMU threw its name into the ring late Monday evening, the junior John Tyler defensive end and linebacker prospect announced through his Twitter account.

Paired with Stephen F. Austin, an FCS program which offered last month, both Division I schools within 100 miles of home are in the picture for Goodson (6-2, 215).

The Mustangs have a handful of selling points to compete against other FBS offers from Houston, Louisiana-Lafayette, Mississippi State and Texas State.

One, head coach Chad Morris stated in Longview earlier this year that he thinks his 2017 team can compete for the American Athletic Conference championship. Two, six East Texans were on SMU's roster last season as underclassmen and two more signed with the program in February. Three, former Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor is now part of the coaching staff.

Traylor, who spent the past two seasons at Texas, successfully recruited John Tyler receiver Damion Miller to the Longhorns program in the last cycle. He lured an additional three East Texans from other area high schools.

Ultimately signing with the Mustangs also would allow Goodson to extend his playing career with fellow John Tyler junior defender Tre Allison. Allison verbally committed to SMU in January.

SMU posted a 5-7 record last season and squandered the opportunity to secure bowl eligibility by winning one of its final two games. Still, the campaign was a three-win improvement compared to Morris' first team in 2015 and a four-win improvement versus the 2014 squad led by June Jones and interim coach Tom Mason.

Goodson helped John Tyler become the region's most successful of four Class 6A teams last season, as far as playoff advancement.

The defender recorded 70 tackles, 11 sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as John Tyler worked its way to a co-district championship, an appearance at the regional semifinal level of postseason competition and a final record of 11-2.

Goodson, like all college football prospects currently in their junior year of high school, will become eligible to sign with any school that offers him in February of 2018.